High school wrestling: Perry's Billy Miller impressive in Georgia event

Billy Miller ended his high school wrestling career a champion.
What better way to do it than by doing so wearing the stars and stripes?
The senior heavyweight from Perry recently returned from Georgia, where he took part in the 2014 Wrestling USA/Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Ga. Wrestling for Team USA in the Team USA vs. Georgia competition, Miller won his lone match by pin over Georgia heavyweight MJ Couzan.
Couzan, from Archer, Ga., was a two-time state heavyweight champion, as was Miller.
“It was an honor to go down there and compete on the national level,” Miller said. “Just being asked and having that national recognition was an honor.”
Giving up considerable height and weight disadvantages to the 6-foot-4, 285-pound Couzan, Miller converted a first-period takedown and got three near-fall points for an early 5-0 lead. He held an 8-0 lead over Couzan in the second period when he put the 42-1 wrestler to his back for the pin.
The win was part of a 37-15 victory for Team USA. Miller was the lone wrestler from Ohio on the squad.
“He was tough, but I don’t think he was the caliber of the heavyweights we have here in Ohio,” said Miller, who went 44-0 his senior year at Perry. “He was a big boy; hard to handle.”
Miller said he did some pre-match scouting on his opponent, who is headed to Tenneesee State on a football scholarship. At 6-1, 255 — 10 pounds heavier than the weight at which he wrestled this past winter — Miller said his primary concern was getting stuck underneath the massive Couzan.
“I knew I had my outside single to go to,” Miller said. “He was hard to shoot on, but I was quicker so that was my edge.”
Miller who will wrestle collegiately at Edinboro, said he was surprised to get the phone call to be on the team. He credits wrestling guru Dan Fickel, a national editor for Wrestling USA Magazine, for nominating him as Ohio’s heavyweight entry for the Dream Team Classic.
He was surprised no one else from Ohio joined him for the event.
“None of the other guys stepped to the plate, I don’t know why,” Miller said. “I was the only Ohio guy there. I had to make friends real quick.”
Despite having been away from competitive wrestling for more than a month, Miller didn’t miss a beat on the mat. He also rode the emotion of the capacity crowd, which came to its feet when Georgia’s 220-pounder pinned Team USA’s 220-pounder in the first bout of the night.
Being second in the lineup was a welcome change for Miller.
“I’ve always joked about not wanting to go last all the time,” Miller said. “Going out and setting the tone for the match was pretty cool. They were pumped up after they won at 220. When I pinned their kid, it shut them up a little bit.”
The end of the event meant that Miller’s high school wrestling days were officially over. The next time he wrestles for a school, it will be for Edinboro, where he plans to play an integral role for the Fighting Scots this coming season while majoring in biology and secondary education.
He said the Edinboro coaching staff has told him to be prepared to contribute right away.
“They said I’m going to get thrown into the mix right away,” he said. “I’m excited about it on one hand, but, on the other, I’m a little nervous. But I’m ready for college. I’m ready for the next challenge.”